Thiruvananthapuram – The ordinance to remove the governor from the post of chancellor of all the 14 universities of the state has reached the Raj Bhavan. The ordinance signed by the ministers was sent to the Raj Bhavan this morning. Governor Arif Muhammad Khan’s position is that since the ordinance affects him, he will send it for the President’s recommendation. A bill cannot be introduced until a decision is made if it is sent to the President.
There is a rule that when an ordinance is considered by the President, a substitute bill cannot be introduced in the Legislative Assembly. So the legislation could drag on indefinitely. Governor Arif Mohammad Khan, who went to Thiruvalla this morning, will return to Delhi in the evening. Will return only on the 20th. Even if outside Kerala, if the ordinance is received in the Raj Bhavan before the Assembly is convened, the Governor can accept it through e-file and take action. The cabinet meeting on Wednesday will discuss convening the assembly. If the assembly decides to convene, then this ordinance has no relevance.
The last cabinet meeting decided to remove the provision that the person holding the post of governor should also be the chancellor of the universities of the state through the ordinance. It was also decided to amend the rules of all universities for this purpose. The government took the decision after considering the recommendations of the Poonchi Commission report that it would not be appropriate to appoint the governor as the head of the university as the chancellor, who has to fulfill the duties assigned to him by the constitution. The Commission was of the opinion that the post of Governor-Chancellor should be avoided.
In the cabinet meeting, it was expressed that eminent persons who uphold high academic values should be appointed as chancellors of universities. The cabinet meeting also assessed that it would be beneficial to have persons with expertise in the field of higher education at the head of the universities to transform the higher education centers into centers of international excellence.
The Chancellor shall have no salary and other special emoluments. All power and office will be granted in the University. Kerala, MG, Calicut, Kannur, Malayalam, Sanskrit, Sree Narayana and other universities dealing with similar subjects are being considered to appoint one person as chancellor. At the same time, you will find experts in their respective fields in universities such as technology, digital, health, veterinary, medical, agricultural, and CUSAT. However, it is alleged that the chancellor appointed by the government will be too loyal to the government and this will affect the autonomy of the universities.
English Summary: The Ordinance to Remove Governor From the Post of Chancellor Reached the Raj Bhavan